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Purdie, William, Presiding Elder of Lima Branch, Montana, was born July 21, 1864, at Greenock, Scotland. At the age of six years he moved with his parents to Liverpool, England; his parents were identified with the Liverpool branch. William was baptized into the Church at the age of ten years, and lived in Liverpool nine years. He emigrated with his parents to Utah in the fall of 1879, and the family took up their abode in Logan, Utah, where they lived about two years. William, obtained employment on the Utah and Northern Railway as fireman, which position he held for six years, running principally between Ogden, Utah, and Battle Creek, Idaho. Subsequently, he was employed as engineer on the same road, now called the Oregon Short Line, for nineteen years, running principally between Lima and Butte, Montana. He is at present running as passenger engineer between those points. December 17, 1885, he was married to Sarah Eliza Evans, daughter of' Morgan and Mary Phillips Evans, of Logan. The marriage ceremony was performed in the Logan Temple by Apostle Marriner W. Merrill. Elder Purdie moved to Lima, Montana, October 16, 1889, and when the Lima Branch was organized December 22, 1895, he was appointed first assistant to Superintendent Thomas Willmore in the Sunday school, which position he held for four years. Later he acted as second counselor to President W. T. Hopkins for a number of years, and finally was set apart as Presiding Elder of the Lima Branch in 1903. This latter position he holds at the present time.
Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. Salt Lake City 2:102 |
Biographies 
